Bus Operator

Paul Osborne began work at transit as a two-year plan to get back on track and return to college. Thirty-four years later, he’s glad he stayed.  

“College was difficult for me, so my dad encouraged me to apply to Metro Transit,” Osborne said.  

The St. Paul native drove school buses previously, so the transition was easy – especially with the amount of support Metro Transit provides its operators.  

“I had to fuel and clean my own school bus,” he said. “And the heating and cooling systems rarely worked – in winter, I’d wear full winter gear to stay warm onboard!”  

He truly appreciated the people who made sure he could focus on driving and customers, including Metro Transit mechanics, cleaners, and fuelers.  

While he enjoyed the variety of routes available when working extra-board, he also loved the lack of it in his uniform.  

“I could be in Cottage Grove one day, and Chanhassen the next,” Osborne said.  “And, I could wake up every day and not have to think about what to wear." 

Like many operators, however, it was the benefit package and the people that kept him here all these years.  

“Metro Transit rose to my expectations to take care of me when I was injured,” Osborne said. “And I’ve made friends for life.”  

As he enters retirement, he’s already planned a trip to Costa Rica with retired transit friends and looks forward to tackling lots of home improvement projects.   

He’ll have to start thinking about what to wear every day again, however.